Scottish accents may be 'hard to understand' but they could help you learn Dutch
Scottish accents are notoriously hard to follow but they could help you learn a new language faster
The Scottish accent is known for being one of the hardest in the world to understand. Whether it's rolling your 'R's speaking in harsher, guttural sounds, or using too much slang, we can certainly leave a lot of people flummoxed.
Half of Americans say the Scottish accent is the toughest to get their head round, with the Glaswegian accent always coming up as the one most likely to raise an eyebrow and leaving an out-of-towner particularly confused.
However, new research from Preply is turning that perception on its head. The study suggests that the Glaswegian accent could actually offer an unexpected advantage - learning languages faster, thanks to its characteristics.
The distinct rhythm and cadence of Glaswegian speech align with languages like German, and Dutch, where strong emphasis on syllables and guttural sounds can be important in conveying meaning.
This makes it easier for Glaswegian speakers to adapt to languages with similar speech patterns. The Glaswegian accent has been showcased on the world stage many times by the likes of comics Billy Connolly and Kevin Bridges.
But how might region accents improve language skills?
"Generally, accents can help with language learning because they train your ear to recognise and reproduce sounds," Anna Pyshna, spokesperson at Preply, explained.
"At the beginner level, language is mostly oral-oriented - you don't need perfect grammar, but it helps to know how to pronounce common words.
"Ultimately, accents are not just about how we speak, they shape our ability to produce certain sounds."
Three other British accents - Geordie, Scouse, and Brummie - were also highlighted in the study, each offering unique phonetic traits that support language learning in different ways.
Folk from Newcastle have a glottal stop - a sound made by closing the vocal chords.
This helps with languages including Danish, Czech, and even Hebrew, and Thai.
Liverpool residents speak with a rolled 'r' sound, like in Spanish, Russian and Italian. Scouse speakers find it easier to master the trilled 'r' pronunciation. Its rising and falling tones are also well suited to Welsh, Irish, and Cantonese.
Elsewhere, over in Birmingham, people speak in a monotone nature with long stretches on the same note.
This will help if Brummies want to have a stab at Finnish or Russian.
What's more, to expose more people to different accents, Preply has launched a unique Spotify series of accent-based sleep soundscapes, using Geordie, Scouse, Glaswegian, and Brummie voices.
This is designed to boost language retention through passive auditory learning, as studies show that during deep sleep, the brain can keep forming new linguistic associations, especially when exposed to familiar phonetic rhythms.
Not only will this help Glaswegians pick up new languages more intuitively, but it will help others tune their ear to the Glaswegian accent and appreciate its linguistic value - and make misunderstandings a thing of the past.
Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community!
Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today.
You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland.
No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team.
All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in!
If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'.
We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like.
To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
BBC News
30 minutes ago
- BBC News
Mark Wahlberg says Edinburgh brothers' Pacific row should be a movie
Holywood actor Mark Wahlberg has told three Scottish brothers their Pacific Ocean rowing record attempt should be made into a spoke to Edinburgh's Ewan, Jamie and Lachlan Maclean in a video call, 54 days into their brothers are aiming to complete the fastest ever non-stop and unsupported row from Peru to Sydney in Australia - a total distance of 9,000 miles (14,484km).Wahlberg was made aware of the record attempt via a friend of his personal assistant who had met Jamie when he played bagpipes at a wedding they were both attending. The brothers, who are trying to raise £1m for clean water projects in Madagascar, are more than 5,000 miles (8,047km) from their finish the call last Thursday, Wahlberg told them: "This could be a movie. "The best films I've done are based on true stories - ordinary people doing extraordinary things. "No way I'd row an ocean, but I'd play one of you guys in a movie." The actor shared stories from shooting 2000's disaster drama The Perfect Storm with George whose other films include Ted and Transformers, told the brothers: "What you guys are doing is next level."You're living out a sense of purpose - combining passion with impact. That's rare, and it's humbling to watch."Lachlan, 27, said later he had wondered if he had imagined the said: "We're all operating in such little sleep that we thought it all could have been a hallucination." The brothers' 280kg boat was built to be one of the lightest and strongest ocean rowing boats ever is named Rose Emily in memory of their unborn sister, with her name hand-painted on the hull by their board are 500kg of freeze-dried food, including 75kg of oats and a menu of high-calorie comfort meals prepared by include beef chilli, Thai red curry, and haggis, neeps and tatties - with the hope of adding fresh fish caught at 33, said the journey had been much tougher than expected - but they had been delighted by the call with the Hollywood said: "Today we had dolphins surfing near the boat, and that lifted our spirits — and then we hear we get to speak to Mark Wahlberg, so spirits are absolutely through the roof."We are such big fans, and speaking to him is like a dream come true for us. It's so cool… but it's bloody surreal."
BBC News
35 minutes ago
- BBC News
Highland schools asked to discuss pupils' phone use
Highland Council has asked schools in its area to have discussions round pupils' use of mobile phones in local authority said excessive use of phones was a "significant issue". Bans are already in force at Nairn Academy and Grantown Grammar month, councillors unanimously backed a proposal from Labour's Michael Gregson and Conservative's Helen Crawford for a wider consultation to be held. Mr Gregson and Ms Crawford said phones were having a disruptive effect on children and their proposal agreed by councillors included a commitment from the local authority to support schools that decided to ban the Scottish schools have taken steps to limit access to phones in class at two high schools in Edinburgh are having to keep their mobiles in lockable pouches during the day under a new phone-free at Portobello High School and Queensferry High School are being issued with special wallets which once sealed require a magnetic pad to unlock are allowed to keep their phones in their possession but will be expected to keep them in the pouches until the bell rings at the end of their final councillors voted last month to bring in stricter guidelines limiting the use of mobiles in schools from hoped the move would reduce disruption in the classroom, as well as stop some incidents of government guidance allows head teachers to make their own decisions on mobile phone use but Moray Council has decided to introduce blanket new policy would have exemptions for medical use such as diabetes August, Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth said headteachers across Scotland were trusted to take the best decisions in the interests of their school communities.
Scotsman
37 minutes ago
- Scotsman
Award winning chippy shares secret for 'perfect' fish and chips
But if you've ever wondered how to get the perfect golden fried fish and crispy chips, then one Scottish chippy owner has shared her secret. Sarah Heward, owner of The Real Food Café in Tyndrum, has shared her secret for creating the perfect fish supper - and it's all about attention to detail. Regularly featured in 'Best Of' lists as one of Scotland's favourite chippies, and a seven times winner in the National Fish & Chip Awards, The Real Food Café' is known for its quality, care and sustainability. It's also famed for its gluten-free fish and chips, with some customers making a 500-mile round trip to enjoy them, a testament to the restaurant's iconic status as one of the go-to places for an exceptional fish supper and its inclusive menu. How to make 'perfect' fish and chips Picture: Real Food Cafe Here's what Sarah says makes the ultimate fish and chips. 'Fish and chips might sound simple, but making a truly outstanding chippy is anything but. It's all about layers of detail. The Real Food Café only uses MSC-certified, sustainably sourced fish. "Once prepped and portioned, it's carefully layered in a Fish Fridge, no more than two or three fillets deep, ready for frying. 'Our signature light, golden batter is made with chilled water. The cold temperature causes the wheat proteins to expand, and when the batter hits the hot oil, it explodes, creating that crisp, airy texture you want – nobody likes a soggy fish and chips! "We also use a specialised batter-whisking machine to keep the consistency just right. 'But the chips matter just as much. Ours are made fresh daily, sometimes up to a quarter of a tonne. "When the tatties arrive, we test them for sugar content because too much sugar means chips that fry too dark. We rumble 25kg of potatoes at a time, eye them by hand and chip them in a machine that can process a full sack in about 20 seconds. 'Cooking times are constantly adjusted throughout the year for variations in potato and wheat crops. Once it's all cooked, we finish with the final secret ingredients: salt, vinegar, and a generous serving of love.' The Real Food Cafe in Tyndrum has been going strong as one of the best places to stop for a bite to eat for almost 20 years and it all came about after Ms Heward took over the site after chancing upon an advert for the then-derelict premises while working in the City. She and her husband decided to snap up the former Little Chef and move up north, seeking a better work-life balance and feeling that they could 'do something better than the previous occupiers'. After a 'very rudimentary patch-up job', including filling the holes in the roof, the cafe opened its doors for the first time in April 2005, timed to capitalise on the key summer trading period. 'We did that, and that was really the start of the journey [but] over the years there's been a huge number of challenges, both personal and professional.' These include the sudden death of her husband, who had planned to work as a consultant in Aberdeen in the oil industry when they moved to Scotland but took an active role in the café. But she persisted, and the business, which benefits from its location on the West Highland Way, started picking up awards including for their fish and chips.
